New Delhi: Lt Gen K T Parnaik, at present
Army Director General (Perspective Planning), has been
accorded the status of Army Commander and named the
Commander-designate for the Uddampur-based Northern Command.

An Army press note said here today that Parnaik was
accorded the Army Commander status with effect from December 1
this year, but would formally take over the Northern Command
on January 1 next year.

An Uttam Yudh Seva Medal and Yudh Seva Medal awardee for
exemplary operational command of an Infantry Brigade and a
Corps, the officer is an alumnus of the Khadavasla-based
National Defence Academy and was commissioned into the 2
Rajputana Rifles regiment on March 31, 1972.

He has also done a course at the Wellington-based Defence
Services Staff College and the city-based National Defence
College.

Parnaik has commanded his parent regiment in the
Rajasthan Sector based at Udaipur and in Jammu and Kashmir,
apart from commanding an Infantry Brigade in Jammu and Kashmir
during Operation Parakram, the armed forces build-up after the
December, 2001 Parliament terror attack.

These apart, he had headed a Mountain Division in high
altitude area in Sikkim.

Before taking over as the DG (PP) at Army headquarters,
he commanded the Indian Military Training Team at Bhutan and
an active Corps in the North East.

He has also served at the Deputy Chief of Military
Operations and Chief of Staff of UN Mission at Angola between
1997 and 1999, Brigadier General Staff of a Strike Corps,
Deputy Director General of Operations Logistics and Additional
Director General of Military Intelligence at the Army
headquarters during his career spanning nearly four decades.

He has also held instructional appointments at the IMA
and Army War College at Mhow.

His operational experience include Operation Cactus Lily
in 1972 and various counter-insurgency operations in North
East and Jammu and Kashmir.